Electbic switch



B. E. GETCHELL ELECTRIC SWITCH Oct. 9 1

Filed April 1:5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. E. GETCHELL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 13. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Bery'amin E. G tube-II,

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Oct. 9, 1928.

B. E. GETCHELL ELECTRIC SWITCH 4 shexs-she 1 3 INVENTOR Filed April 13. 1926 E 'IIlIlIlIIlIIIlIIlIII/d IIIIIA'IIIIIIIII .0

Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,199

B. E. GETCHELL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 13, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Patented Get. 9, 1928.

UNITESTATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN E. GETCHELL, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUM BULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A.

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Appliczition'filed April 13, 1926. Serial No. 101,688.

My invention relates particularly to socalled safety or enclosed switches.

One object is to provide a Construction of this character which can be operated when the box is closed but which requires'that the switch must be opened before the box can be opened.

Another obj ect is'toprovide a construction 'inga modification of the switch proper within which, when the switch. is open, the switch blades, contacts and load; side' terminals are entirely disconnected from the circuit or what is known as dead. 2

Another object is'to' provide a construction of this character which can be made up largely out'of standard parts, such as are commonly used". in switch constructions; i 4 t I Another object is to provide a closedswitch having a fuse receptacle whi'ch'is entirely disconnected from the circuit when the switch is open, regardless ofwh'i'ch switch terrninals the line wires maybe eonnected with.

I have shown th'e invent ionj as'applied to one type of switchl' and"one'itypel of "box as typicalv ofjfotheis to' '{which the" invention ,may be ia plied' "The unit. switch consists of twoffhingedi bl'jadesi which are linked together so as to besiinultaneously operated. The fuse unit isconneqled etw n the hinged ends of :thesefbladesso that when the switch is'op'en, both' fuseterminals are dead. other details ofthe 'iiriprovement' will be understoodfromthe following specification.

Fig. 1 a perspective view of a construction embodying my invention ,in theform of a safety switch, the box being'closed'and the switch in the closed circuit position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing various elementsof a switch and fuse unit separated. is-a-front view of the construction shown in Fig. 1 with the switch in the off posi tion and the fuse, sockets exposed.

Fig. 4 is an end View of the switch and fuse units without the'box.

Fig. 5 is a front View and partial section showing a single switch unit in the closed circuit position. I Fig. 6 is a full-sized transverse section of the construction showing a single switch and fuse unit in its box with the parts of the switch in the closed circuit position. i

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side view and sec tion showing one of the switch blades and connected parts.

I and showing in dot and-dash lines both blades in the open circuit position. F g. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view show- "insulating base" 13 suitably securedin the box, for instance, by screws 14.

The circuit terminals 15 and 16 of one unit ofthe switch are shown in Fig. 8 and are of any suitable character., The spring jaws-17 and 18 are of any suitable character securedto the base in any suitable way, as, for instance, by 'usua l screws 19 and 20, respectively. The switch blades 21 and 22, of any suitable charater, are hinged in the usualway to suitable postsor jaws 23 and 24, andsecured to the base in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by the screws25 and 26, respectively. Any suitable type of fuse and fuse socket may be employed. I haveshown the fuse terminals for a screw plug 33, these terminals being the center screw 27 and the screw shell 28, of standard type. The fuse terminals are connected, respectively, to the supports 23 and 24 by members 29 and 30. The center screw 27 screws intothe-outer end of thearm 29, and the forked end of the arm 30 rests on the bottom of the screw shell 28 in the usual manner of fuse socket connections. The fuse terminals are preferably mounted in an insulating block 31. which has a rim or shoulder 32 which projects through an opening in the cover 11. hen the switch is closed, the circuit through the unit just described e.\'- tends consecutively through the following elements terminal 15, jaws 17, blade 21, post 23, arm 29, center screw 27, fuse plug 33, screw shell 28, arm 30, post 24, switch blade 22, jaw 18 and switchterminal 16.

The two switch blades 21 and 22 are connected by a folding or hinged link 34 which is guided in a recess 35 in the base 13. The switch is operated by a crank 36 pivoted in theopposite walls of the box and which has a loose connection in the slot of the insulating member 37 wh ch is secured to one of he switch blades. This crank 36 has an external operating member or handle 38. Fig. 1 shows the handle in the' 'closed circu'itposition. To opentl e switch the handle ispulled downward which rocks the crank 36 and thus swings the switch blade 22 to theopen circuit dot-and-dash position of Fig. 8. The link 34 which connects the blade 22 to the blade 21 operates the blade 21 simultaneously with blade 22 so that the circuit is broken at two places simultaneously. \V-hen the. switch handle is moved upwardly, the switch is closed, the link' 34 being guided in the recess 35 in the base. ;I lhe erank lifi is pivoted at a point remote from the pivot centers of the blades -21 and 22 sothat, althrough the handlehas the desired 90 throw, the switch blades have only approximately t row h partsare .50 ant i c and connect-ed hat' he blad s move tin unison so as to insure simultaneous makin and breaking of the circuit atthe pftipelriimes at tw o points. I

I have shown the invention asa-pplied to a form of switch havinga spcci-ali'nterlocking mechanism.withthecover. This protective mechanism CQhSiSLQ f QhQUlXlg 39 secured to the cover havin 'lan opening qr passage 40 whichis'iiormally nosed byla slide 41 so that the fuses are'entirely-;enclosed. This slide 41 has a flangcAZLWhieh extends alongside of the operating handle 38 so that when theswitch cl0se', d,-the slid cannot be opened. Consequentl the fuses are inaccessible whilethe switcb is clo seld. This slide also has a, hook.43 which embraces the switch handle So .that..the cover 11 of the box cannot be opened when the-switch is closed. The box may also be provided with a guard 44 around a art of the'handle which may be sealed or loc ed to the handle in any suitable manner. The Slide .1:. when .open, also serves to prevent the closing of the switch. I

In the form of construction shownin Figs. 9 and 10 the switch blades and 5 1 are hinged respectively to the posts or jaws 52 and 53 which are secured to the base by the screws 54 and 55 respectively. The two posts 52 and 53 are electrically connected in a suitable manner as for instance by means of a plate or bar 56. The ,two blades are mechanically connected by a hinged link 57 so that the blades are compelled to operate together. The base is preferably provided with a slot or passage 58 for guiding the link 57. The connector 56 in the form shown is designed to extend around from the screw 5.4 to the screw 55 clear of the guide pas sage 58.

The jaws 59 and 60 are of the usual type secured to the base in-any suitable manner and provided with circuit terminals 61 and 62 respectively.

it will be seen from this that the construction*isadapted to make and break the circuit at two pints and when the circuit is open both switch blades and connected parts are entirely dead.

I claim:

1. An electric switch comprising an insulating switch base, posts carried thereby, blades hinged to said posts, a folding link connecting said blades, an insulatin fuse carrying member supported from said posts and having fuse terminals electrically coninectedto said blades at all times, and means for operating said blades simultaneously.

' 2, An-electric switch ooxnprisin an insulating switch base, posts carried thereby, blades hinged to said posts, a link. connecting S lade means for guiding said l nk in said base, an insulating fuse carrying member.

arms supported from said posts, fuse terminals insaid member connected to said arms, andmeans for operating said blades simultaneously.

3. .A switch construction including two separately hinged blades, contact jaws and terminals appurtenant to .each of said blades, a pair of links pivotally connected together at one endandeach link being pivotally connected at the other end to one of said blades.

guided means for the connected ends of said links and .means for operating one of said blades.

it. A switch construction including two oppositely disposed blades, a hinge jaw for each ofs'aid. blades, an electrical connection between saidhinge. aws, an appurtenant contact jaw and terminal for each blade, two insulating links pivotally connected together at one endand' each link .piyQta-lly connected at its other end to one of the respective blades, the said links co-operating with said blades to cause; simultaneous movement of both blades when one blade is moved.

5. A switch construction including an insulating ase, two oppositely disposed blades mounted'onsaid base, each blade having a co-operating hinge post, a contact jaw and a terminal, ,two insulating links pivotallyconn ected together at one end and ,each link being pivotally connected at its other end to one of the respective blades, a fuse receptacle having appurtenant terminals inter- .posed between the hinge jaws of said blades and electrically connected with said hinge jaws and an operating member connected to one of saidbl ad es.

6. A switch construction including two single pole switch units, each unit comprising a hinge post, a blade pivoted to said post and a stationary Contact for said blade, two link members pivotally connected together at one end, and each link member pivotally connected at its other end with one of the respective blades, said switch units being spaced in overlapped parallel relation and said link members being positioned between said hinge posts, whereby the movement of one of said blades causes a simultaneous movement of the other blade.

7. A switch construction comprising an insulating base, switch jaws having circuit terminals connected to opposite edges of said base, a hinge post supported by said base adjacent each of said switch jaws, a blade hinged to each post and having an end adapted to coact-with the switch jaw at the opposite edge of said base, and a folding link connecting said blades.

8. A switch construction comprising an insulating base, switch jaws having circuit terminals connected to opposite edges of said base, a hinge post supported by said base adjacent each of said switch jaws, a blade hinged to each post and having an end adapted to coact with the switch jaw at the opposite v edge of said base, a folding link connecting said blades, an insulating fuse receptacle, fuse terminals mounted therein and supporting and conducting posts connected to said hinge posts and to said fuse terminals, respectively, and supporting said insulating fuse receptacle. 1

9. A switch construction including an insulating base having a guiding recess, a pair of switch blades mounted on said base, appurtenant contacts and'terminals for said blades, a hinged link connecting said blades and guided in said guiding recess, fuse terminals connected respectively to said blades and an operating member connectedto one of said blades.

10. A switch construction including an insulating base having a guiding recess, two switch blades mounted on said base at opposite sides of said recess, appurtenant contacts and terminals forisaid blades, a folding link mechanically connecting said blades and guided in said guiding recess, and an operating member connected to one of said blades.

11. An electric switch including an insulating base, two hinge posts mounted on said base, two switch blades hinged respectively to said posts, appurtenant contacts and terminals for said blades, a folding link connecting said blades, an insulatin fuse carrying member supported by said inge posts and having oppositely disposed fuse terminals electrically connected respectively to said blades at all times, and means for operating said blades simultaneously.

12. An electric switch including an insulating base, two hinge posts mounted on said base, a switch blade hinged to each of said posts, appurtenant contacts and terminals for said blades, an extension bracket secured to each hinge post, an insulatin fuse carrying member supported by said rackets, oppositely disposed fuse terminals mounted on said member and connected respectively to said brackets, and means ,for operating said blades "simultaneously.

13. A switch construction includin an insulating base, two single pole switc units mounted on said base, each unit comprising a hinge post, a switch blade pivoted to said post and a stationary contact for said blade, two link members pivotally connected together atone end and each link member pivotally connected at its other end to one of the respective switch blades,'two oppositely disposed fuse terminals, each fuseterminal being electrically connected at all times to one of the respective hinge posts and means for simultaneously operating said blades.

BENJAMIN E. GETCHELL- 

